A wide range of exhibition stands exist to cater for a wide range of needs. To create a professional and exciting display, you may first wish to consider banner stands. These types of stands are highly portable and place your brand front and centre, helping to drum it into the minds of exhibition goers by association with your products. For those who tend to visit exhibitions specifically looking for the latest products that can make their lives easier, such a strong visual association as a banner stand helps to create can make the difference between a potential client forgetting about you the moment they leave the show and actually remembering your name ahead of all others and deciding to give you a call.

Alternatively, you may wish to invest in a pop up stand. These stands come in the form of magnetic pop up stands, fabric pop up stands and cross braced pop up stands, allowing you to communicate your brand’s message in a distinctive, intelligent and innovative way irrespective of your budget and practical requirements. Or why not invest in Twister Banner Stands? These stands are highly versatile and portable, and can be linked together to create larger, more impactful display walls. You can use them to create walls that vary in shape to give your visitors plenty of intriguing focal points.

It doesn’t matter what exhibition stands you invest in, however, if you don’t make the most of each day that you spend at your exhibition. It is for this reason that, without further ado, we present to you our top 10 tips on how to do so.

• Hold a competition. Success at an exhibition or trade show shouldn’t mean putting your prospective customers under pressure to do business with you. Instead, you should consider what it is that makes you your company distinctive and better than your competitors offering similar products or services, and entice them accordingly. What better strategy, then, than to hold a competition that gives your customers that extra incentive to attend? Make such events clear on your pre-event promotional material.
• Give things away. There are few better ways of unobtrusively drumming your brand into the minds of exhibition-goers whilst also fostering a positive relationship than by giving away promotional merchandise. Practical giveaway items such as bags, lanyards and pens can be used again and again and help to promote your brand long after the exhibition has ended, and not merely during the event itself.
• Demonstrate your products or services. Prospective customers attend exhibitions with a view to finding products or services that will make their lives easier, so why not spell out how your offerings do so in clear, visual terms with a demonstration? Concisely and quickly communicate the essential information that your customers will find most interesting about your products and interact with them directly with the use of display counters.
• Offer discount or gift vouchers. Much as with competitions and giveaways, discount or gift vouchers give prospective customers an incentive to attend your show whilst also directly benefiting from doing business with you – fostering a longer-term relationship than would be possible through a ‘hard sell’.
• Ensure that you are well staffed. Ensure that there is always someone available to man your exhibition stand and to interact with customers that is also informed about your business and that can therefore effectively communicate its message. This way, you won’t miss out on potential business whilst someone is taking an impromptu dinner break.  
• Make the maximum use of space. The space for your exhibition stands can be limited, so consider ways of making the most impact in a small space, such as by combining banner stands of an appropriate size with display counters. Know your venue well in advance so that you can order the appropriate exhibition stands and associated equipment.
• Promote your event well in advance to well-targeted customers. By doing so – whether with Direct Mail, advertising or another method – you can boost the number of visitors to your exhibition stand, hence encouraging further interest. Make the most of your contacts database, including current clients and target companies that will also be exhibiting.
• Use the same keywords in your exhibition stands as in your regular advertising. This is another highly effective way of further affirming your firm’s Unique Selling Points and ensuring consistency in your promotion, hence creating lasting associations in the minds of attendees.
• Record prospective customers’ contact details. Your exhibition or trade show is as much an opportunity for you to learn about your customers as it is for your customers to learn about you, and this can be done not only in face to face conversation but also by recording their details and expanding your contact database for future use.
• Visit your stand before each day of the exhibition. Walk around and look at your stand objectively as if you were a prospective customer. Make adjustments if necessary in accordance with customer feedback and your own judgment.

By following these tips, you can expect to attract the attention of more prospective customers and in the process, achieve what all firms ultimately set out to do when they attend an exhibition – boost revenue and sales.

To find out more and to take a look at the entire range of exhibition stands on offer from Print Designs, visit the website: http://www.printdesigns.com

We often receive enquiries from potential customers who see our range of Twist banner stands but need some further explanation on how the product works.

Twist banner stands are a modular banner stand display system available in a choice of 2000mm or 2300mm tall and a choice of widths (700, 800, 900 and 1000mm).

Twist banner stands can be linked side by side to create flat walls and it is possible to insert flexible joining panels in-between the stands. The flexible joining panels are called flexilink panels and essentially act like hinges. They link to the regular twist banner stands magnetically.

By creating a series of stands utlising regular twist stands interlinked with flexilink panels, you can create a wide variety of different shaped stands to fill almost any stand space.

Another benefit of twist banner stands when compared to traditional pop up stands is that the stands are provided in small, manageable sections and this means that you can increase or decrease the size of your stand by adding or removing stands where necessary. In the same respect, you can adapt the shape of your stands by adjusting the angles of the flexilink sections.

Twist stands come complete with the carry bag, graphic panels and lighting. The stands can be accessorised with items such as literature holders or monitor screens to personalise them to you. It is even possible to hang graphics front and rear of a stand to create a double sided display if you wish.

For the customer who wants a stand with the portability of a pop up stand but who still required versatility then the Twist Stands can offer the perfect solution.

Firstly, what is a shell scheme?

With a shell scheme, you are provided with a series of posts that have infill panels between them. The infill panels could be plain white or sometimes they are fabric covered.The Shell Scheme is used to break-up space in an event hall.

Graphic panels can be produced that will fit inside the posts or we can provide panels and fixings that will allow the panels to fit over the top of the posts. The great thing about putting graphic panels over the top is that you can become more creative with the design of the stand. You can create a continuous mural that runs around the edge of the booth rather than having a series of panels with posts in-between.

If you choose to use panels that fit in-between the shell scheme posts then there are several common materials we can print onto. A typical infill panel would measure 946mm wide x 2340mm tall. Here are some typical costs

• PVC – A 600gsm Blockout Material (rollable) – panels are around £44 each for a full width and full height panel
• Opal Jet Polyester – A heavyweight blockout display film with a scratch resistant laminated finish – panels are around £70 each for a full width/height panel
• Foamex – A semi rigid PVC sheet – panels are around £70 each for a full width/height panel
• Corrugated ‘shell pac’ panels – printed on 5mm thick corrugated card and then folded into three so easy to transport – panels are around £55 each for a full width/height panel

The first two materials can be rolled up so they are easy to transport but foamex panels are supplied as large, flat sheets and so you will need a larger vehicle to transport them.

Shell Pac is a new type of product which although benefitting from looking like a rigid board, is folded into three so far easier to transport than a single flat sheet.

If you decide that you would like to create a continuous graphic wall then we would provide you with some Shell Clad fixings. Essentially these fixings clip onto the existing shell scheme framework and then allow the panels to be positioned edge to edge.

There are two types of material we can produce shell clad panels with:

• Opal Jet Polyester (as described above)
• A premium version which is backed with a fluted board to keep the panel extra rigid.

The cost for a shell scheme of 3M x 2.5M which would include cladding all three walls would be £940 plus vat.

If you simply want to fill the maximum space in the most cost effective manner then we can provide super-wide sized dye sublimation printed fabric panels which can be attached to your stand wall in a variety of ways.

Dye sublimation printed graphic panels look far superior to large plastic/PVC banners and have a unique, upmarket appearance. A large scale dye sublimation print to fit your stand backwall would cost around £216 plus vat and we can offer help and advice regarding the best way to attach it to your shell scheme.

We hope this information helps and please just contact our sales team should you have any queries

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Designing a trade show booth needs careful consideration however, if the experience is to be profitable and positive.

The size and type of the booth and your budget are likely to be determining factors in the choice of exhibition display stands and other furniture. You will need to set clear objectives and decide on your core message before you make this and other design decisions.

Whether you decide to go for pop up stands, banner stands or another type of display, there are some important points to keep in mind:

• Use fewer stands more effectively. Too many will make your booth crowded and difficult to navigate. Visitors will be put off and confused by too much information.
• Use contrasting heights, widths and shapes to create interest.
• Use lights not only to highlight graphics, but also to create atmosphere and draw people in.
• Design graphics carefully. Fonts should be simple and clear and large enough to see from a distance, with important messages at eye-level. Images need to be striking and complement the message.

Careful planning and an unswerving focus on your message and your target customer will help to make your trade show objectives a reality.

3. Although pop up and banner stands can generally be assembled without the need for tools, prepare a box of items that could come in handy. Perhaps a few basic tools, sticky tape, sticking plasters for those blisters…
Think about what you may need, and put it in the box!

4. Make sure your trade show staff receive a last-minute review of their exhibition training. Use it to:
a. reinforce the main elements of the message you want to communicate to visitors
b. motivate your employees
c. provide their schedule of events
d. reiterate the goals of the exhibition
e. remind them of how they are to behave

5. Eat and drink before the show opens! Food and drink should not be consumed on the exhibition stand during the event by any member of staff. Stock up before starting time so that you can wait for a break for more refreshments.

6. Familiarise yourself with the exhibition hall and the other stands. Pay attention to the tactics being used by competitors, and make appointments with potential suppliers, partners or customers.

There is plenty of potential for hiccups when exhibiting, but good preparation will help you avoid some and ensure that you are equipped to deal with others, in order to make your exhibition experience a profitable one!

1. Check your graphics and other elements of your exhibition as soon as you receive them. If at all possible, set them up in the office according to the layout you are intending to use on the day. This will allow you to spot any potential problems and anything that isn’t successful. It will also provide valuable practise, particularly for those who aren’t experienced in setting up display stands. Pop up stands and banner stands generally don’t require much effort or time to set up, but practice makes perfect, and will help you move faster on the day.

2. Make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to set everything up. It is much better to have time on your hands for a coffee and last-minute adjustments once the stand itself is set up. Problems can occur, so allow yourself time to deal with them. If you have transported your stands yourself, check that everything has arrived in good order. If your stands have been couriered to the event, check that all your displays have been delivered.

When you are designing the graphics for your exhibition stand, you will have a decision to make that will determine the designs you decide to use. If your goal for exhibiting at trade shows is to attract new customers, you may be tempted to try and design graphics that will attract the greatest number of people to your exhibition stand.

And yet, this may not be the best approach for your company. If you try and appeal to the greatest number, your campaign will have to be based on ‘the lowest common denominator’ approach, and will risk becoming mundane and being swallowed up by the competition.

If you have a product or service that you know will work best with a smaller, more specialist audience, then it may be more profitable to create a highly targeted and specific exhibition stand. The idea being that it may attract fewer visitors, but those it does attract will be more passionate and therefore make better qualified leads.

But how exactly should you go about it?

• Make sure you consider the target audience of the trade show to ensure it corresponds with your own.

• Your stand needs to be eye-catching and attractive. Make sure your layout is inviting and encourages people in.

• The graphics you use on banner stands and pop up stands must make you stand out from your competitors. They need to make an immediate impact.

• Provide incentives to visit your exhibition display – you could send postcards to clients and prospects before the show to promote your presence. Offer some kind of gift to anyone who presents you with the postcard (complete with their contact details)at the trade show.

• You need to create the potential for interaction with your visitors. You need to engage their interest and allow them to talk. You need to avoid sounding like you are delivering a pitch.

• You will need perfect product knowledge and the ability to talk about them confidently. Visitors will base their impression of the company as a whole on your people and professional skills.

• You need each visitor to leave you with their contact details so that you can target them once the trade show is over.

But how do you choose which colours to use?

• One approach is to associate colours used on graphics on banner and pop up stands with corporate colours or those used for brand and product images.

• Colour can make a contribution to communication, and associations can convey meaning which can be taken into account at the design stage.

• Certain colours can also evoke particular emotions in the viewer, so be aware of this and make sure the associations with your choice of colours do not contradict your message.

• Primary colours can suggest simplicity and more often used when targeting a younger audience.

• If you are exhibiting abroad, remember that different cultures associate different colours with different things.

• Colours can be interpreted as warm, cold, dark and light. Some are considered calming and peaceful, while others are associated with danger and anger etc.

• Combinations of colour should be considered carefully for the overall effect that they produce.

1. The logic of the graphics: this is the message you want to communicate to your visitors. Keep it clear, eye-catching, simple and coherent. Think about how you will attract visitors to your exhibition display in the first place – how will they notice you in amongst your rivals?

2. The use of the space: where are the entry points to your exhibition display? What is the first thing your visitors will see? You need a strong message and visual impact as soon as they approach or enter your stand.

3. How do you want them to move around the exhibition? Do they need to follow an order of information, or is there a main focal point you want to draw them to? Does your display flow, or is it cluttered and disjointed?

4. Optimise the impact. This does not mean overwhelming people with an onslaught of information, but rather the opposite! Keep important information at eye-level, where it is less likely to be obscured and will be more immediately noticeable.